Spiritual Training
by D-Gray-Man-Fics
Summary: Efforts to increase synchronization rates with the innocence backfires when Tyki Mikk is able to use it to his own advantage. Poker Pair.


_The Order has implemented new procedures requiring all active members to participate in spiritual exercise activity as part of their regular training. _

"I dunno. I think it could be fun." Lavi grinned while he spoke, forking a full pork chop into his mouth.

"Fun? How?" Lenalee had expressed open resentment toward the idea since its announcement earlier that morning.

"Well," Lavi gulped down a glass of milk and wiped his mouth. "Just think of all the ways you can mess with Yuu."

"Huh?" Lenalee and I spoke in unison.

"The guy spends how much time meditating? Imagine the look on his face if we got everyone to-" Lavi was cut off in mid-sentence by the butt of a sword in his gut.

"Good morning, Kanda!" Lenalee chirped. Lavi fell off his seat.

"Tch." Kanda took Lavi's seat, paying no mind to the cursing redhead. "What are you laughing at, bean sprout?"

"I told you! My name is Allen!"

Before anything else could happen, an announcement blared through the speakers with a reminder of the spiritual exercise requirements.

_Our research department strongly believes that this could increase synchronization rates with the Innocence. As this practice remains unprecedented, choice for such exercise is under each Exorcist's jurisdiction. That is all._

Breakfast ended shortly after the announcement.

"See you guys!" I called, trudging toward the door, hands in pockets. Though I didn't share Lenalee's anger toward God, I did share in her lack of enthusiasm for the spiritual training. The science department always managed to come up with the most useless experiments. I shuddered, glad that this time we didn't have to ingest anything they'd made. "At least there's one plus."

"Hey Allen! What're you doing?" A friendly voice caught my attention.

"Good morning, Johnny. I am," I shrugged and rubbed the back of my neck. "I am not sure, actually. I do not have the slightest notion as to what I should be doing either."

"How come?" He asked, glasses partly fogged from the coffee he cradled. More than likely, he'd been up all night again.

"The spiritual-"

"Oh yeah!" He moved too quickly and sloshed some of the coffee onto his shirt. "Awh man." He looked down at the newly forming stain.

"Ah, here." I offered him my handkerchief.

"Thanks, Allen. I owe you one."

"Oh yeah?" I smiled and crossed my arms behind my back.

"I never like it when you make that face." I laughed.

"I just want an idea for what I should do for this spiritual training. You are one of the smartest guys here, so if I had the chance to ask anyone, I would like to ask you." I flashed my most charming smile. Johnny's eyes welled up with tears, a confirmation that it had worked. After a series of thank you's and gratitude, he stopped talking to think.

"Kanda will probably meditate. Lavi will probably read the Bible. I think everyone is going to do something that calls out to them." Johnny spoke tentatively. I tried to keep the disappointment from my face. I had been able to come up with as much on my own and it had led me nowhere. "But for you..." Johnny sighed and set his coffee on the cabinet beside him. "Okay, so it's like this. All you need to do is feel closer to God. If you do that and your Innocence gets stronger, then this experiment is a total success." He stopped, flustered and fumbling for words.

"Ah, I see." I nodded and smiled, not wanting him to lose his confidence and shy away from answering.

"Sometimes when I'm up really late and things aren't going anywhere, I go outside and try to clear my mind. Then I look up at the sky and all the stars up there and just think, wow. It's breathtaking. I feel so small and insignificant. I could never make something like that, the night sky, you know? I think if you could just- Ah! Careful!" Someone knocked into the cabinet, nearly knocking his coffee from its surface. "Anyway, just get out there and look at the world you're protecting. Look at the beautiful things for once instead of the morbid things. The world is about a lot more than the Earl and his akuma." He slurped down half the cup in one drink.

"Johnny! What are you doing?" An unfamiliar voice shouted from the science department's room.

"I'm coming, I'm coming!" He shouted back. "See you later, Allen." Before I had a chance to properly thank him, he was gone.

"Look at the beautiful things, huh?" I moved out of the way of a few passerbys. They were talking about a park or something. I didn't listen too carefully. I'd come up with an idea that might pass for a spiritual exercise.

I took in a deep breath, laying on my back. Long grass and wildflowers bent with the wind. It really was beautiful. No voices save for the songbirds in the sky. Nobody but myself for as far as I could see. I kept my phone with me in case of an emergency call. Aside from that, I was comfortably cut off from the world.

A smile crossed my lips and I shut my eyes. Johnny's words echoed through my mind. This was the world I wanted everyone to see and know. Every human, every tormented soul, I wished they could feel the peace and calm that I felt then. This was the world it was supposed to be. I was sure of it.

Still smiling, I opened my eyes and watched the insects crawl up and down the stalks of grass. None of them were as beautiful as the butterflies that circled the field, landing on flowers here and there. When one landed on my chest, I laughed. Its beautiful blue hues were enticing. Laughter echoed beside me, but it wasn't mine. The smell of cigarette smoke washed over my face. I sat up quickly but the butterfly did not move.

"Looks like you're finally awake, boy." Tyki's smooth voice was as calm and beautiful as the rest of the meadow, but it was more frightening than the most violent storm.

"Innocence-"

"Ah ah ah." Tyki leaned in close and pointed at the tease on my chest. "I wouldn't do that if I were you." I lowered my arm, knowing I could be killed before I had a chance to defend myself. I'd let my guard down. Tyki laughed again and sat beside me. He was as relaxed as I was tense.

"What do you want?" I asked through gritted teeth.

"I'm here to kill you." He leaned back and stared at the sky. I scoffed but remained motionless. "You don't believe me?" I frowned in response. He'd had more than enough opportunity to kill me. The thought unsettled me. I had no idea how long he had been watching me. I would not have noticed him had he not alerted me first. I swallowed hard, feeling more exposed than before. "Where are the girl and the redhead?"

"They-" He held a finger to my lips, face close to mine. His smirk widened.

"No where near enough to save me." The tease crawled up my neck. "That is your answer." I glared. "I'm right, aren't I?" I inched backwards. "Tease, why don't you have a bite?" The golem had no trouble tearing through my skin. I started to lift my hand. "Every time he moves, you can have a little more to eat." My hand dropped to my side, terror paralyzing the rest of me. Blood dripped from the small wound, tickling my skin.

"Stop it, Tyki Mikk."

"How intimidating." He gripped my hair in his fist and forced my head to the side. "I can do whatever I want and you can't lift a hand to stop me." Satisfaction glimmered in his eyes. "Are you scared?"

"Not for a minute." I lied, clenching my fists.

"Oh?" He raised an eyebrow. "Is that so?" He placed his hand to my chest. "Then why is your heart pounding?"

"Stop it!" I pushed his hand away and was instantly met with sharp pain. I cringed, infuriated, and crushed the tease in my cursed hand. The flutter of wings nearly deafened me. In an instant, I was covered in the butterfly golems. Tyki seized both of my wrists and forced me to the ground. I could not tell which hurt worse, the pain from the injuries or the humiliation I felt.

"I would hate to see you killed for your courageous stupidity." The moment I tried to pull free, every tease's teeth pierced through my skin. "This really would be easier if you'd just listen." Tyki sighed, his face an expression somewhere between exasperation and entertainment. The more I struggled, the deeper the teases bit until I knew which hurt worse. "Enough!" Tyki snapped, flipping me onto my stomach and pushing his leg into my back. He twisted one of my arms to the point of breaking. He wrapped his other arm around my neck, using his free hand to immobilize my free hand.

"Let. Me. Go." No matter how I lurched, I couldn't budge.

"Not. A. Chance." He answered, mimicking me. He tightened his grip around my throat until I could not breathe. When I stopped fighting, he loosened his grip a small bit. "Much better."

"Why are you doing this?" I could barely choke out the words.

"Simple." He released me. I fell to my hands and knees, coughing. He snapped his fingers and the tease retreated to the nearby flowers. I struggled to catch my breath. "You are-" An alarm blared from my phone.

_All Exorcists report to base. A Noah has been spotted in the northeast sector. Repeat. All Exorcists report to base immediately for further instruction._

"Northeast?" Tyki frowned. "Of course you'd want to spoil my fun, Rhode." He muttered to himself. "Well, boy," Tyki seized me by the collar and dragged me forward. I clutched his arm with both hands. "It looks like we'll have to save that explanation for another day. Until then," He closed the distance between us quickly but gracefully and pressed his soft, cool lips to mine. Unable to react, I stared wide-eyed as he pulled back and rose to his feet. "Good luck fighting the Noah."


End file.
